STA Coverage on Monday, 20 October

LJUBLJANA - The parliament is to convene for an extraordinary session on the government bill for the next two years' state budgets. Together with the budget memorandum for 2004 and 2005, the bills will be presented by Prime Minister Anton Rop. Afterwards there will not be a discussion. Instead the documents will be inspected by the parliamentary bodies in the next 14 days.

LJUBLJANA - On the invitation of Economics Minister Tea Petrin, French Minister for Foreign Trade Francois Loos is to arrive on a visit to Slovenia. The guest will also be received by Europe Minister Janez Potocnik.

LJUBLJANA - Ombudsman Matjaz Hanzek is organising a two-day round table on the national institution for humar rights in Slovenia. The panel will involve represenatives of the government, NGO's and experts, experts of the Council of Europe, a representative of the UN, EU Ambassadort to Slovenia Erwan Fouere and Ombudsman of Bosnia-Herzegovina Frank Orton.

OPATIJA - Under the patronage of the Council of Europe, a three day meeting of culture ministers will discuss the role of culture in eliminating conflicts and establishing peace. Slovenia's Andreja Rihter will join more than 20 ministers from 48 countries, signatories of the European Culture Conventio, meeting with counterparts from Canada, Morroco, Japan and the Arab League. The conference will wrap up on Wednesday.

LJUBLJANA - The Ljubljana Central Hospital will give a press conference at 10 AM about a revolutionary endoscopic technique which has been used for the first time ever to replace an aorta valve in Slovenia.

LJUBLJANA - Press review.

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